WILDLIFE RECLAMATION OF MINED LANDS 



W. D. Klimstra 



Surface mining and all of its impacts came under intense scrutiny during the past 

 decade. While the nation's rising environmental consciousness was being translated 

 into new legislation, the energy crisis steadily escalated. America's vast coal re- 

 sources were seen as a replacement for our diminishing supplies of oil. The clash 

 between energy and environmental concerns was reflected in the long and heated 

 debate which led to the passage of Public Law 95-87 "Surface Mining Control and 

 Reclamation Act of 1977." 



The debate was sharpened by the surge of surface coal mining development in the 

 west, an area of fragile soils, limited water and sparse population. The sudden and 

 massive strip mining of formerly undisturbed open range land aroused opposition 

 among some local residents. Many were concerned over the fact that coal — the cause 

 of the disruption — was being shipped away for use elsewhere. Indeed, it was a new 

 experience to accept coal as a crucial resource. The growing concerns were not 

 confined to the west. In the midwest and the east there was increasing anxiety over 

 the effects of surface mining on prime farmland and the hills and valleys of 

 Appalachia. 



One result of these concerns was a rapidly emerging need for an interest in baseline 

 data (which fortunately included the native fauna and flora). State and federal 

 agencies became involved in the early stages of resource development. They evolved 

 techniques for rapidly gathering data for extensive areas because ecosystems rather 

 than localized settings were affected. During the past decade, numerous handbooks, 

 guidelines for studies, and systems and model designs for decisionmaking appeared. 

 The utility of many, if not most, of these has not yet been fully tested and established. 



During the decade of the seventies there were workshops, seminars, and confer- 

 ences of local, regional, national and international scope which directly and indi- 

 rectly addressed the impact of surface mining and mined land reclamation on fauna 

 and their habitats. Typical were such events as: "Mitigation Symposium: a national 

 workshop on mitigating losses of fish and wildlife habitats," "Surface Mining and 

 Fish/ Wildlife Needs in the Eastern United States: Proceedings of a Symposium," 

 "Symposium on Restoration and Recovery of Damaged Ecosystems," "Research 

 and Applied Technology Symposium on Mined Land Reclamation, ""International 

 Conference for Energy and the Ecosystems," "Economics, Ecology and Planning of 

 Coal Resource Development," "Symposium on Mining and Ecology in the Arid 

 Environment," "Proceedings of the Third Annual Meeting of the Canadian Land 

 Reclamation Association." and "Proceedings of the Fort Union Coal Field 

 Symposium." 



Papers reflecting various points of view, philosophies, and wildlife-related prob- 

 lems were also published. Early in the decade the literature emphasized negative 



The Author: Dr. Klimstra is Professor of Zoology and Director. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory. 

 Southern Illinois University. Carbondale. He participates on State and National advisory boards concerning 

 natural resource planning and management. He has held several posts while at the University including 

 Acting Director, Coal Research Center and has pioneered innovative applied research for restoration offish 

 and wildlife to coal surface-mined lands in Illinois and the midwest. 



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